Sprouts
Why sprouts?

Sprouts Sprouts are immunity boosting foods. A fighting fit immune system is vital to good health. It is a fact that nutrients present in foods that we eat can really help strengthen our body’s natural defenses, giving us unbeatable protection against infection, disease and allergy. Eating sprouts is a good way to supplement the diet with food enzymes that are critical for literally every biochemical reaction that takes place in the body.

Sprouts can be called super foods, as they enhance health, energy and longevity since they have the greatest nutrient content of all raw foods.

What are sprouts?

Sprouts are edible seeds that have just germinated. When you sprout a seed, enzymes are activated and the starches are converted to simple sugars.

What sprouting does?

All sprouts contain enzyme inhibitors that allow them to remain dormant and be stored for years. Once exposed to moisture and temperature, the enzyme inhibitors are neutralized and the seeds come to life. In this embryonic stage, sprouts are bursting with nutrients. They are essentially a predigested food.

Benefits of sprouting

  • They are an excellent source of antioxidants, Vitamin A, B, C, E, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, selenium and zinc.

  • Sprouts are filling and low in calories, light and easy to digest.

  • Sprouting increases valuable amino acid (protein) content. The sprouted seeds of legumes, such as lentils, peanuts and Soya beans contain complete protein.

Interesting facts

  • Scientific studies show that the nutrient content in sprouted foods can increase from 50 percent to 2000 percent. For example, a study conducted at Yale University revealed that B Vitamins increase by 2000 percent in sprouts.

  • The Vitamin C content of wheat grass is 600 percent in the early sprouting phase and all sprouts contain more Vitamin C than oranges if they are compared by weight.

What to sprout?

Most seeds, grains, pulses, legumes and nuts can be sprouted. Popular sprouts are mung, alfalfa, kidney beans, chickpeas and fenugreek seeds. Grains can be consumed as you would a ‘vegetable’ when you sprout them; examples are wheat, barley and rye grains.

Allergies and sprouted foods

Sprouted foods rarely cause an allergic reaction. For allergies to wheat and similar grains you can try sprouting to make breads or a cereal.

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